Shape memory alloy (SMA) camera lens optical image stabilization (OIS) suspensions are generally known and disclosed, for example, in the Howarth U.S. Pat. No. 9,175,671, Miller U.S. Pat. No. 9,366,879, and Brown U.S. Pat. No. 9,479,699, the Ladwig U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0154251, Miller U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0259178, Eddington U.S. Patent Application Publication 2015/0135703, and Howarth U.S. Patent Application Publication 2015/0346507, and the PCT International Application Publication Nos. WO 2014/083318 and WO 2013/175197, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties and for all purposes. Embodiments include a spring crimp circuit or moving member mounted to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or static support member. One or more bearings between the moving member and the support member provide a gap between these components about a z axis and enable movement of the moving member with respect to the support member about x-y axes. OIS assemblies of these types have a lens and optionally an auto focus (AF) assembly or system mounted to the moving member. SMA wires couple the moving member to the support member and are controlled by a controller. The SMA wires are driven to move the moving member about the x-y axes with respect to the support member to stabilize the position of the image produced by the lens against vibrations such as those that might be caused by movement of the user's hands.
There remains, however, a continuing need for improved OIS suspensions. OIS suspensions of these types that are highly functional, robust and efficient to manufacture would be particularly desirable.